Metroid: A Tale of Paradox
by Furnardan
Summary: An in-progress full novel based on a twisting of the original Metroid story. The young Protagonists are quickly thrusted into their diverse destinies, beginning from Samus's childhood, and an original design on Ridley's piratehood. Read and review!
1. Chapter 1: Fates are Twisted

**Metroid: A Tale of Paradox**

Disclaimer: Contents and affiliations of Nintendo franchise.

Author's note: This is better described as the introduction chapter, embracing the reader into the lives of the main characters and of their surroundings. Screw my previous idea of the story, I've become a neutral (Peace Maker) when it comes to Samus/Ridley pairing, and no, they don't have that kind of relationship here. After getting a ways into the story, I saw what I could really make, and decided to do so. Basically, Samus Ridley Adam etc., are born at relatively the same age and raised on the same planet together in this chapter. What happens when they grow up is entirely my imagination's playground, the action begins at the end of the second chapter. Make it past the first two chapters and on to the next if you can't stand the semi-long pre-dramatic introduction, but the character building is what sets the story. Please enjoy and give reviews (yes I want constructive criticism) so I don't fill alone on continuing chapters!

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**Chapter 1: Fates are Twisted**

_"Space pirates, where?" questioned Samus, scanning the surroundings  
_

_"Behind that generator, over there!" exclaimed Adam, who was next to Samus, pointing his index finger in Samus' vision, intended to aim in the said direction.  
_

_Samus had to ignore Adam's misguided appendage to locate the affiliated generator._

_She glared at the object for a moment, extending her hand cannon out while supporting it with her left arm._

_From behind the generator could be seen what appeared as a long, crimson, scaly pole, or was it a tail?_

_"I see it!" exclaimed Samus with a sense of over-joy in her tone._

_"Shh!" Adam held his left index finger over his mouth with his lips puckered out as if to kiss his dirty, matted finger, which was the universal symbol for shut up._

_They both innately paced slowly toward the generator, with weapons at the ready._

_The figure behind the generator became known as it stepped into view, razered teeth fashioned around a long, bony beak, four talents, two membrane formed wings tucked behind its back and a piercing sharp spade-tipped tail curled around it on the floor._

_"So Ridley's behind all this! That was less than the expected, but not my last guess." she finished, with a profound smirk hidden behind her visor._

_Ridley was crouched low on his rear legs, not revealing his complete height. He cocked his head back and gave out a bellowing laugh, which sounded all too well rehearsed._

_"So Samus Aran, You have broken into my ship and have found me! But to what purpose? I've not reason to tussle with you as of late, have I?" The innocent dragon with his head now curled forward, causing his posture to sink his height tremendously._

_"We know you're behind the stolen prototype phazon cannon from Fargon Station, just confess and get it over with!" demanded Adam._

_Ridley grew even less in stature. He curled his claws inward as if to hide his menacing power. He changed his tone to a Firm yet innocent quality._

_"Simply because I've done things past, must that imply that I am automatically the culprit of every petty shop lifting?"_

_"The security cams caught space pirates taking the device, and you being the leader of the bunch, makes you the prime suspect." Samus had a smile of victory over Rildey's query._

_"So I guess we don't have time for any games now huh? I understand your urgency I suppose, and I will confess just to keep you on that busy schedule. The ray's right here." Ridley reached his tail behind his back and pulled out the phazon cannon into view and set it on the floor before them._

_Ridley Became erect, and forced out his wings spanning full length, causing a gust of wind from them, attempting to suppress fear over his nemesis of his daunting presence._

_The two raised back their weapons and took battle ready stances for whatever Rildey might could throw at them._

_The dragon spoke still in his sincere tone, "If you want it, it's right here."_

_Samus and Adam made no hesitation, they charged all out towards Ridley and the device before him._

_Ridley grinned, then leaped into the air,soaring towards them, claws held out as if to rip their limbs apart from their abdomen._

_They began to fire at him, but Ridley had picked up way too much speed for them to get more then a lucky glance off him._

_Samus and Adam delve in separate directions to avoid Ridley's dive, but Ridley was already planning their moves. An open claw came in line with Adam's chest, sending Adam to the floor with a yelp, gripping his chest where Ridley struck him._

_Ridley then turned mid-air toward Samus, who had taken precise aim at Ridley, ignoring her fallen comrade for the time being._

_Ridley dove, claws and teeth ready to strike. Samus fired two shots before diving out of the way. Ridley was hit in the upper-left shoulder._

_Crash! Ridley landed right where Samus had been previous to her quick maneuvering, but recovered just as quick, making a wide swing with his claw to strike Samus on the head._

_Samus ducked and rolled a hair from the razered talents just to be slammed on her back by Rildey's countering tail._

_Ridley rested his weight on Samus with his claw, aiming his jagged-edged tail to strike through her throat._

_Samus layed helpless, she couldn't get her hand cannon out from under Rildey's claw._

_Ridley neared to start his finishing blow._

"Recces is over. Time for class!" Hollered the teacher, bickering the children to come back inside.

Ridley took his foot off Samus and helped her up by sliding his tail under her back and pushing her up with it.

"Great game Ridley! Just be careful how much weight you place on someone, I felt like I couldn't breathe for a moment there!" Samus grinned in childly pleasure.

"Sorry," replied Ridley with his face towards the ground, " I have some much fun sometimes I forget I'm a dragon."

Adam came to them and stood beside Samus. "Ya, you pack quite a punch, but nothing I can't handle!" Adam rolled his shoulders producing a pop sound.

"It's fine Ridley, we wouldn't have you any other way! And you're definitely the coolest dragon I've ever met!" Samus exclaimed, forsaking the thought that Ridley was the only dragon she had seen before.

Samus always did that for him, sticking up for Ridley. He could always fill human when he was with Samus. She treated him like one.

The thirty-two second grade students lined up before the teacher in single fire order, and marched behind the teacher through the white painted halls and ceramic tiled floor. Though this was the twenty-sixth century, K-2L had less art and architecture than other human planets, aside from the handful of self-made homes, the majority of the buildings on the mining colony were a dull chrome. It didn't appeal to the general public for beauty, but it did provide better protection and security for the masses.

The students filled the confined class room, taking their individual Metal seats and pulling out their black, contractible desks. Ridley placed himself in the very front row, next to the window. Samus sat in the desk across from him, and Adam behind Samus.

Samus and Ridley paid the most attention in class, Ridley being the most brilliant of the class simply by his in-born ability to memorize images, giving him the conscious ability to capture all that a book said or what the teacher wrote on the board into precise mental pictures. Samus studied consistently for her high grades, which tagged slimly behind Ridley's, except for math, which she understood like swimming. Her favorite thing to do was swim.

Their final class, biology, ended at 3:23 p.m., and at 3:24 p.m., There wasn't a single student inside the building, save for two rascals who ended up in detention. The principal would make sure they'd stay in detention for as many days as it took for his hair to grow back, because of all the dry-on-impact rubber cement that had consumed his reddish-blond crown atop his head, due to a crudely crafted sling attached to his office door knob and a bucket on the other end.

"Samus, can we go to your house to play?" asked Adam.

"I heard that there are Chozo here today, I want to go see them first. Do you guys want to come?"

Adam scratched his head. "Actually, there's something else I should be doing."

Ridley stood beside Adam. "I'd rather not as well, there's... um... something I need to do to."

"You two are so anti-social with other species! I'll see you guys later." Samus started walking towards the space port.

"Hey, let's meet back here at five, okay?"Adam asked.

"Sure, I should be back by then."

The three split ways, and Samus waited at the buss stop. She boarded the first buss that came by. It was heading for the Alpha Space Port in the capitol city.

The buss stopped at the space port, and Samus hopped of after paying the driver.

The space port was mildly busy, people were carrying cargo in and out of the dome-shaped transit center.

The ship that transported the Chozo was in docking, and the afloraltite that was the source of trade that the Chozo came for, was in another vessel.

As Samus came to the entrance, she found two Chozo speaking with a man. The man was wearing a blue officer uniform, and the Chozo wore robes of lovely, natural colors.

"I'm sorry, but that won't do. We can't make a trade." The man stood firm before the dismayed Chozo.

They had been bargaining for a long time, but it was getting tiresome, and they needed to leave soon.

"Very well. We will return at a later time, perhaps than we may make a deal," one of the Chozo stated.

Samus came close to the three speaking. One of the Chozo looked to her.

"Hello young one, are you from here I presume?"

Samus nodded. "My name is Samus, I came here to meet you."

The Chozo smiled warmly. "Ah, my name is Old Bird, but you can call me Bird Grandpa."

The other Chozo examined Samus with a straight face. "So, a child ambassador is here to greet us. How charming."

"This is Grey Voice, my good friend," announced Old Bird.

"I'll have to remove the cargo from my ship. Come back when you have the proper means to trade with." The man left them and entered the transit center.

"I like Chozo. I read about you all the time in and after class."

Old Bird chuckled. "Very good. Make sure you learn all the knowledge you can about the universe, especially all the species within it. Learning is our favorite subject you know, it may be compared to eating candy to you."

Samus smiled. "I love to learn too! Maby you can teach me somethings, some time."

The Chozo couldn't help but smile back. He carelessly showed his warm heart and care for all living things. Old Bird had rarely heard of a human's interest in their kind, especially from a child. "Perhaps that may come to pass, such a young, inquisitive one such as you."

Old Bird "Do you know of the Luminoths?"

"Here Samus, I think you may enjoy this."Old Bird drew his hand into his cloak and revealed a ring of chains with a charm attached to it.

"This came from the Luminoths,

Grey Voice had waited long enough, their purpose here was over and he was anxious to return home. "Let us go now Old Bird, we must return to the brethren."

Old Bird sighed. "Very well. I must go now, good by Samus."

Samus gripped the Chozo's robe, giving him a friendly hug.

Old Bird responded by patting Samus' shoulder. "We may meet again."

Samus released him and waved as he entered the transit center. "Bye!"

After the Chozos had disappeared from site, Samus returned to the bus stop, pleased in her success in meeting a Chozo for the first time, and a very friendly one at that.

Samus returned to the school bus stop at 5:05. Ridley and Adam were waiting for her.

"How was it, did you meet a Chozo?" asked Adam, showing more enthusiasm than he felt.

Samus smirked triumphantly. "Sure did, and made a friend too!"

"Great! Now can we go now?"

"Sure! This time I have an idea, lets defend the Chozo from the space pirates at the tree fort."

"I'm the space pirate leader!" Ridley always chose that position.

Adam nodded. "Okay, lets go than!"

The three companions vigorously shuffled down the sidewalk away from school. They were eager to get to Samus' house, her backyard to be more specific, which was out of town, giving them a two miles' stride at the least.

Samus' family consisted of only her mother, Virginia Aran. Samus had no brothers or sisters, but what she did have was an adopted dragon.

_Ridley was found by her and her mother when Samus was only three years old. The poor pitiful scale covered creature was crouched beneath a tree, hiding from the slowly drizzling cold rain. Samus and her mother were heading home from a fishing trip at the creek beyond their backyard._

_Most humans may have steered away from a dragon, toddler or not, maby even run in the opposite direction in fear, but Samus' mother walked strait up to the little creature, who couldn't even fly yet. He climbed up the tree in fear. _

_Samus stood beside her mother, not even old enough to understand why dragons should be feared. Samus stood just beneath the tree and called to the dragon hanging upside-down from a limb, waving her limbs at it. The dragon slowly and cautiously traveled down the tree trunk, upside-down, stopping two feet from the ground. _

_Samus Carelessly stood within inches of the dragon spawn.  
_

_"Hello!"_

_The dragon stared at her for a moment with his head cocked to the side. _

_"Sqrack!" The dragon child finally replied, completely confused by Samus and her method of greetings._

_Samus simply replied the same sound back at him, completely distorting it from the sound the dragon had instinctively done._

_The dragon then stood on the ground, towering a foot over Samus, even though he was a month younger than her._

_Samus' mother stood a few feet from her, seeming as if to not care about her daughter and the harm that could be done, but in reality, she had studied all about the various species in the galaxy, and apparently, didn't fear what the dragon could do to either of them._

_Samus reached out her hand to the dragon, assuming he knew how to greet with a hand shake._

_The dark Crimson lizard sniffed her hand and almost seemed as if he intended to bite her hand off, but instead, he extended out his lower claw to her hand, not the one Samus was intending but what did it matter anyway? Dragons could use their hind legs just as well as their forearms, minus the length difference._

_Dragons are very odd creatures, they may seem the most brutal and uncaring at times, but they are unreasonably intelligent, and Ridley could understand samus' intentions by a sixth sense, or seventh._

_After that small event, Samus' mother took Ridley home with them and raised him up no different than Samus, added the needs a dragon may have over a human, a specially designed tooth brush, twice as much food had to be cooked at dinner time, and of course, trying to design clothes that were befitting to a dragon, though most the time he never whore clothes._

_Ridley, as they named him, was Samus' adopted brother, and she never could have been happier, a play mate she could always have when it rained out side and her other friends were stuck indoors. Ridley would never go outside in the rain anyway, dragons were very fond of hot weather, hot anything in-fact._

Samus, Adam and Ridley arrived at her house, a lovely two-story colonial, with two square acres of blue grass in front of the house, and a seemingly endless forest behind it. back behind the house is where the three would always have adventures in the forest, go swimming, and anything else a group of youngsters could craft in their imaginations.

That day they played space pirates till the sun went down. Ridley was always the bad guy. he didn't mind, he liked being the bad guy anyway. "Bad guys get to have all the fun," he would say. Samus was always the protagonist and Adam would either be helping Samus search the universe for the space pirate's next attack or be guarding the planet(tree fort) from Ridley's attack till Samus could arrive.

Adam went home, the Adrenalin preventing him from feeling the pains he would feel when he woke up the next day. Adam had hit his head on the door post of the tree fort, which tipped him sideways, landing on his arm before toppling over the edge, only to be saved from a possible death by Ridley. Ridley caught Adam's fall with his wing, which in turn, caused Ridley slight pain, the muscles that moved his wing got pulled to hard trying to slow Adam's fall. But they were children, and children always heal fast, especially a dragon.

Samus and Ridley entered the house to be greeted by a glorious aroma, smoked Turkey and gravy-smothered mashed potatoes. They instinctively headed for the bathroom to wash up before dinner. After washing their faces and hands, they sat in one of the four chairs, and mother brought the smoked turkey, mashed potatoes, and bread rolls to the table. Their mouths watered as they watched mother slice the turkey and disperse it to each ones plate. They waited for her to sit down in her own chair before her plate.

Samus' mother was a biologist and teacher at the university in town. She made enough profit to feed herself and the kids feasts such as this every day, and with the modern technology, it wasn't all that hard to make.

"alright," said mother, turning her face to each of the two, "Let us say grace."

They all bowed their heads.

"Lord, we bless you for this meal today and giving us the means to make it. We thank you father for protecting us on our way, and we thank you for ever watching over us. We thank you for your son in who's name we ask that you let this food be good for our bodies, amen."

In times past it would have been looked down upon and even wrong to find a biologist who believed in a religion, but in the now, the things discovered and the discoveries of the Chozo and other races, left many to fear not to believe in a higher form of life, just uncertainty of what form.

The children immediately 'digged-in' and enjoyed every second they chewed and swallowed. Ridley always ate slower than the rest, making sure the others had their fill before consuming the rest on the table himself.

"How was school today?"

Samus had just stuffed her face with a spork full of mashed potatoes, "Eit aas jood! Wii-"

"Please swallow before finishing honey," her mother politely interrupted.

Samus did as requested. "It was good! We made a new game today, and Ridley and I answered all the teacher's questions correct again!"

"Well of course you did, what else would I expect from a university professor's daughter and a dragon of one?" She smiled brightly to them and chuckled.

The meal was over. They all got up and helped mother clean the table. Once they finished, Samus and Ridley ran up to mother and both yelled simultaneously,"GAME NIGHT!"

Mother nodded her head. That was all the reassurance they needed.

Samus ran to the rectangular coffee table surrounded by a two seat-er sofa on the long side and a leather couch on the side next to it.

Ridley tried to beat Samus to the table, he even tried cheating, using his tail to trip her, but she stepped out of the way. This lead her on a direct path to hit the rear of the sofa, but instead of giving Ridley the glory of victory, she leaped over the sofa, clearing it by a meager two inches.

Samus rolled over the sofa cushions and opened the coffee table drear, pulling out a flat, rectangular box, just as Ridley arrived beside her.

Samus and Ridley knelt to the floor and set the box on the table. Samus took off the lid and pulled out a folded board-game. It was a game that involved miniature pieces, travelling across the board by steps, and having to role dice and answer questions to proceed their miniature to the next step.

Mother got to the table and sat in the couch just as they completed setting up the board.

"I'm blue!" shouted Samus, grabbing the described miniature.

"I'm red!" announced Ridley, doing likewise.

"I guess I'm green than," said mother reaching over to attain the said piece.

The miniatures were differently colored dachora, and the end of the game was when a dachora reached the nest at the last step of the board.

The questions involved asking what traits a certain species had, such as a etecoon's strong immune system.

This was a game where Ridley and Samus were equals, and mother continued to create her own questions to fill in the question slips' deposit so they never got bored of the same questions over and over.

"What primate-type creature has blue fir and excels at jumping vertical objects?" Ridley said, cocking his head toward Samus.

Samus smiled. That was an easy one, and Ridley looked at her, knowing she had gotten an easy question.

"An etecoon, of course!" Samus moved her chadora to the next step.

"My turn," Samus said, retrieving a question card. "What reptile lives in the waters of Zebes and has a green shell?"

Ridley took slight hesitation before replying. "A tatori!"

"right!" said Samus.

Ridley moved his piece to the same step as Samus'.

Neither missed a question till the end except Ridley. When Samus got to the last step she couldn't answer when her mother asked what kind of dragon lives in the hot depths of Zebes, she only knew of one type of dragon, and that was Ridley.

"It's simply called a dragon dear." Her mother told her, laughing at the irony.

"You win again Mom!" announced samus, not showing any care for her loosing.

Ridley showed the same, though he was mad at himself for not being able to identify a type of bony fish, a skultera.

"Well we had fun, and now it's time fore bed! Go brush your teeth and I'll meet you in your room to tuck you in."

After such a mind rousing game, it would be difficult to keep their minds from processing as much data at one time as they could.

They both slept in the same room, on individual beds, they both had king sized mattresses. She had bought both large beds cause she simply had the mind to keep them equal, since Ridley was larger and needed a bigger bed. She had enough psychology and sociology to manipulate both Ridley and Samus from thinking that either was lesser than the other, mentally of course.

Mother came in and tucked them into bed, and kissed each one on the forehead.

After that, she walked out of the room and turned of the light, knowing they weren't going to stay in bed quite yet.

She looked at the two in their beds before slowly closing the door with a squeak, then she walked away down the hall to her own room.


	2. Chapter 2: Children and Massacres

Metroid: A Tale of Paradox

Disclaimer: Content and affiliations of Nintendo franchise.

Author's note: Chapter two of my wondrous tale! Now that we have been introduced to the opening themes and characters, let us see how they react to an unfortunate event. Please bare the long intro to the actual conflict, we have to build the atmosphere before shattering it ya'know. I stated in the previous chapter that this was my imagination's goings, I have nothing more than a general idea for the story, so all the content in between is written the 'J. R. Tolkien method', figure it out as you go! It will follow the Metroid storyline to a major degree though, so maby that is a hint for this chapter. You'll notice a few methods I use here, such as referring to Virginia Aran simply as mother, this is my attempt to create a view of her through the children's eyes. Also, some people don't like pecan pancakes, well, TOUGH! I hope I'm handling this well, so please read and critically review!

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Chapter 2: Children and massacres

The big, orange orb of gas-burning flames rose its peak above the horizon of the window sill of Samus and Ridley's room, brightening their faces from the dull of night.

Samus woke before Ridley, as usual, the light glaring in her eyes. Ridley, however, had thick eye lids, and didn't sense day till it warmed his body, or till someone yelled good morning in his ear. Samus restrained from rousing Ridley yet, it was the weekend anyway.

Samus came out of her room as a zombie scuffing its feet across the carpet to the bathroom. With damp rag in hand, she prevailed in clearing her eyes from the haze that was bestowed upon them almost every morning. She then reached for her tooth brush.

"Why am I always told to brush before I eat?" She thought to her self. "And just get food on them at breakfast?"

Samus retreated her hand from the tooth brush. She then led her feet down the steps towards the kitchen.

The aroma was as pleasant as always, pecan and blue-berry pancakes with imported maple syrup.

"Morning Samus, didn't wake Ridley I see," said mother, giving Samus a smiling glance.

"It's Saturday. I thought I'd give him a break." Samus took a seat on a stool at the kitchen's bar table.

"He should probably want in on these pancakes, pecan is his favorite. "Mother brought Samus' usual, two blue-berry pancakes and one pecan in a glass plate and set it on the bar before her with a glass of milk.

Samus did her silent prayer than began to feast.

Mother went up the stairs and stood at the door frame before Ridley's bed.

"Ridley, your pancakes our ready," she said most graciously.

Ridley didn't make any noticeable movement.

Mother tried again, but after not getting a result, she went back to the returned with a single pancake on a plate, and placed it on the bed before Ridley's nostrils. She than walked out and returned to the kitchen.

1.32 minutes later, Ridley walked into the kitchen with an empty plate in his claw.

"Morning Ridley, found a snack in your bed I see!" Samus pushed the stool beside hers out from the bar with her foot, enticing Ridley to sit next to her.

Ridley did so. As he set plate on the bar, mother was already bringing the trey of pecan pancakes to fill his plate.

"What plans do you have for today mother?" inquired Samus, finishing off her last pancake.

"I'm not certain yet, I have a few ideas, maby you could assist me in deciding?" Mother smiled, giving Samus an intended smirk as she pored syrup over Ridley's pancakes.

Samus grinned with the possibility of excitement. When ever mother said she couldn't decide what she was going to do on the weekends, that always meant they were going somewhere fun.

"I might be able to help you decide!" Samus replied.

"Well than, I was thinking we could either go to city hall and get some paper work done, or..."

Mother paused for a moment, allowing Samus' eyes to grow more curious at the suspense. "...We could go to the coast at Rock's Edge."

Samus bounced out of the stool and ran around the bar to mother. "We're going swimming? Yes! Yes!"

"Go get your clothes and a towel. As soon as Ridley is ready we'll leave."

Samus took no hesitation. She was dressed with towel in hand in under fifty seconds flat.

Ridley had just finished his last bite as Samus came into the kitchen with her equipment.

"Hurry Ridley! Get your stuff and let's go!" She exclaimed standing at Ridley's side.

"I don't need anything, I can dry what water my scales don't repel off without a towel."

"Let's go than! ready mother?"

Mother was finishing washing Ridley's plate. "Let me dry my hands off and go grab my book first."

Samus went out side to wait for mother. Today had to be a perfect day. The sun shone warm and bright, and the breeze countered the heat that the sun produced, creating a wonderful setting that Samus had only seen in movies.

Ridley walked out followed by mother, and they entered their Ford mercury 2555 model compact mountaineer. Ridley sat in the back by himself, the most comfortable position he could get, with his body in a slump towards the window and his tail curled into a fold, spanning one and two-thirds the width of the vehicle. Samus sat in the front passenger seat.

It was a twenty-six minute drive approximately to get to the coast from their house, on a day with little traffic. The area of the coast they headed for was called Rock's Edge because it was surround by a forty-foot rocky cliff. They passed through a little truck-stop-town as they went, a Starbucks on the right, McDonald's to the left, and Chevron on the red light's corner. Samus watched the few other vehicles as they passed by. Ridley glared out side the window with his head crouched over. Beyond the forest that separated their little town from the bigger, more industrial city, Ridley could see tall factories, business complexes and the town citadel, which stood above all else, where the town's defensive systems were kept and operated.

"Look mother, a rabbilis!" samus pointed out on the road directly in front of them.

Mother mashed her brakes, sending a screech that alarmed the white and brown speckled creature of the on-coming danger. It jumped at the sight and sprint into the ditch.

The mountaineer came to a complete halt. Samus stepped out of the vehicle and went in the direction the rabbilis had fled. She found the cat hiding in a whole formed by a tree's exposed root. She called to the traumatized squirrel-like creature . Apparently friendly, the small creature came to her, cheeping like crazy.

"Mother, can we bring it with us?" Samus inquisited while carrying the rabbilis to the car, brushing her hands lightly across its fir.

Samus held the rabbilis' face to hers. It had crystal-blue eyes, a brown nose, and a patch of dark fir around the whiskers, giving the appearance of a mustache. The creature's coat felt silky to Samus' fingers as she glossed her hand across it.

"There isn't much I can do with her strong will," mother spoke aloud to herself while standing outside the car with her hand resting on top of the opened car door."We can bring'em along."

Samus joyfully held the rabbilis in her lap as they drove the rest of the way to Rock's Edge.

The rabbilis, which Samus quickly named Pyonchi, was quite content to be cuddled in Samus' warm lap.

"That rabbilis is quite tame, and for so young. There definitely had to be human interaction for it to behave so gently."

Samus hoped to keep Pyonchi till it passed away of old age.

Ridley took no interest in the fury hitch-hiker on Samus' lap, he continued to glare outside the window as before. Ridley's eyes fell upon the planet's horizon, but Ridley was thinking. He always starred blindly when he went deep into his inquisitive mind, pondering thoughts outside of their home world, of the universe, and what wonders were scattered out there for him to find. Ridley had a mind beyond a simple, happy life. He wanted... Well, he wasn't quite sure what he desired, but he knew he couldn't find it here, on a mining colony.

"we're here!" Samus exclaimed. The Ford mercury came to a stop on a gravel parking spot, about thirty yards from the coast.

They couldn't see the cliff from where they parked, a thin yet clustered row of trees and brush screened the view of the coast, save for a narrow clearing in the brush.

Samus was the first out of the vehicle, rushing for the passage way through the screen of brush. Samus bore her swimming piece, a towel, and extra clothes for when she had finished swimming. Mother was second in following, carrying a book and a small, contractible lawn chair. Ridley leaped out of the vehicle, gliding twenty feet before landing with the help of his wings, then took off into the air towards the shore quicker than Samus could have wished to go. The rabbilis, which had been completely forgotten, hopped to the ground and followed Samus as best it could.

When mother reached the edge, she found a lone tree and propped her chair under its shade. Samus had already descaled the path down the cliff. A few feet of sand shore breached the line between the rocky cliff and the clapping shores. Samus found a short extension of the cliff, about nine feet from the sand, that stretched a few yards or so into the water.

Pyonchi came to the cliff, but after realizing the liquid substance below, quickly sped in the other direction, finally propping itself under the tree next to mother.

Samus set her equipment on a slate of rock, then scurried up the rock-formed dock before her. She stood at the end of the dock-like rock, witnessing the moderate waves crashing on to the rock's edge. Samus was searching for the deepest spot to dive in, which was difficult, considering the wave movement disrupted her ability to see if an area was too shallow.

Mother sat in her chair, reading her faceless book. She raised her head for a moment from the book, the view of the capitol city across the waters was very visible, a fog-less day it was. The Capitol's citadel stood as the highest sky-scrapper, its shadow guarding the populace from the sun.

Rock's Edge was on the opposite side of the bay, and the city was on the other side. They took a road that bound around the bay from their house to reach Rock's Edge. It was mother's special landmark. She named Rock's Edge herself when she was younger, a place away from the general public and noise.

Samus made a running start on the rock, going as fast as she could while watching where she planted her feet on the non-leveled surface. Samus pressed both tips of her feet on the rock's edge, then pushed off, adding to the momentum from her sprint. Samus was soaring, above the blue water, spreading her arms out wide while straightening her legs, taking the appearance of a bird. "Perhaps this is close to how Ridley feels," She thought to herself, hanging seemingly suspended in air. Samus closed her eyes as she prepared to penetrate the ocean surface.

-Sploosh!- Samus' head was inches away from the water when she was abruptly grabbed around her legs and forced up in the opposite direction of her dive.

She opened her eyes in panic, but unable to identify the object that carried her so swiftly because of the shock that took her.

Suddenly she heard an all too familiar voice, "The ground there had sharp rocks underneath the water's surface. It's a good thing I beat you to the shore."

Ridley set Samus on the rocky dock on which she had leapt from, and stood her up with his talents.

Samus stood still for a moment before turning to her supposed crimson savior. "Damn right it's good! I didn't see anything, so I just assumed that it was clear," she exclaimed at Ridley with a great smile.

"They blended well with the color of the water. It took me a moment before I realized them myself, nearly striking them as well. It is clear on the right side of the rock though."

Samus was still trying to get over the shock from Ridley's intervention.

"I of course wouldn't have gotten nearly as hurt as you could have," Ridley pointed out with a smirk.

Samus was over the shock now, Ridley's comment was all she needed. "Just because you have dragon skin doesn't make you better than me fly boy!" Samus snapped back. "I bet I can swim faster than you from here to that buoy and back!"

Samus' challenge was met by Ridley leaping beside her, facing towards the ocean horizon.

Samus took her sprinting pose without hesitation. This kind of competition was what they loved to do. They never stayed mad at each other when one would lose, and it made them stronger, faster, smarter, always trying to top the other.

"On your mark. get set." Samus took a moments pause, and glanced at Ridley beside her with a grin.

"GO!"

They both where neck and neck down to the jump off point, Ridley leapt farther than Samus did off the rock before splashing in. Samus had to jump to the right to clear the unseen jagged  
rocks. Samus dived cleanly, maintaining her speed into the water, compared to Ridley's somewhat clumsy splash.

The buoy was about one-hundred and fifty feet from the shore. Samus was piercing through the water, bobbing her head in and out of the water to take breaths as she watched professionals do on the sports broadcast channel. Ridley managed to perform a fish-like swivel in the water, sailing sideways in a left to right motion, not needing breaths but every minute or so.

Ridley was the first to touch the buoy, with Samus a few feet short of being neck an neck. When Samus reached the buoy, she twisted around, propped her feet against the buoy and launched back to the shore.

Samus' use of the buoy brought her even with Ridley's shoulders. Ridley 'floored it' as hard as he could when his eye caught Samus catching up.

They both started to press harder, loosing their elegant form. They relied now more on strength to speed to the race's finish.

Ridley crooked his head for a moment to see that Samus was directly beside him, neck and neck for the finish. When he turned his head back, he was met with a THUD! Ridley had forgotten about the rocks underneath the water's surface, until now anyway.

Samus won the race, and a very frustrated Ridley followed less than speedily, rubbing his head from the decisive impact.

"*Gasp* That... Was... The... Best race ever!" Samus puffed as her red face was gasping for oxygen.

"For you it was," replied the dragon, who was even more red than normal.

"I know it wasn't fair that you hit that rock, but it was definitely funny."

Ridley starred at Samus, he didn't know whether to be enraged or to laugh as hard as he could. The bump to his cranium prevented him from fully giving into the latter.

"Don't feel bad Ridley, you were very good, but when it comes to swimming, well, I've got the knack for it." Samus posed with her hands at her hips, and adding a smirk.

Ridley didn't bother to reply to Samus' boast, he simply leapt at her, grabbing her arms near the shoulders with his talents, and launching with her vertically along the cliff. Samus of course was screaming, completely unprepared for a reversal of gravity. Ridley smiled maniacally at her before gently setting her down on the cliff's edge.

"...Hell Ridley, you scared the-"

She stopped to hear Ridley bursting with laughter, even exaggerating it, rolling left to right on the ground.

Samus regained her composure, "Yes, have a good laugh. I'll get you when you least expect it."

Ridley did not relent to end his laughing taunt. They were driving each other crazy, but they were just having fun.

-Zap!-

-Crash!-

The laughter ceased, and all eyes turned towards the city across the bay.

"Oh... My..." Mother was cut short by another abrupt explosion and a blinding flash of light.

The towering citadel was in active flames, with sirens so loud it was eminently present from Rock's Edge. A massive laser cannon had tared through the citadel, cutting through in a diagonal angle.

The citadel responded with a barrage of its own. A mass of green-tint beams of light shot through the clouds towards an unseen target, beyond the planet's atmosphere.

A moment lapsed in-between the firing, but the next object to pierce the Citadel was more massive than the previous shots, and produced a loud yet low frequency ringing throughout the area.

The result of the attack was revealed moments later when the citadel's upper half slid completely off its base, toppling straight down to the ground. A massive dust cloud arouse from the collapsed structure, and the fallen section began to fall sideways, plowing through the residential buildings in its path and creating more particles to fill the air.

Immediately following the citadel's falling was the sound of many ships, their low humming engines filling the ears of all who were witness. gleaming in the sun light, four mid-sized war vessels descended into view over the city, guarded by swarms of sporadic fighters.

"Gasp!" Mother shuttered holding her hands over her mouth," Space pirates!"

The three across the bay watched in helpless terror as the four vessels leveled the capitol city around the citadel into a parking-lot. Two of the ships landed among the rubble, the other two traveled around the brim of the bay, destroying every structure in sight.

Samus ran over to her mother, who was starring at the two ships that docked in the once taller city. Ridley was still standing as he had when the event started, he showed no emotion yet marvelled at such a life-changing event.

"The must be hunting something in the defense complex," mother mumbled, primarily to herself.

The two vessels that still patrolled the sky-ways were getting closer, their humming engines becoming a more prominent, distinct sound.

Mother decide she was done analyzing the event. She grabbed her book, apparently of value, and made far the mountaineer.

"Samus, Ridley, get to the car!"

Samus heeded the command, but halfway she turned around to see Ridley, still glaring at the onslaught.

"Ridley, let's go! Come'on!"

Ridley hesitantly looked over his shoulder facing Samus, and finally followed with the rest of his body.

Ridley suddenly felt a sharp pain on the side of his left shoulder. An injecting dart had pierced him, and before he knew it, he fell to the ground head first.

"Ridley!" Samus screamed, unknowing of what had happened to him.

Suddenly a human-like alien in mossy-green armor, with arms similar to that of a mantis and large yellow eyes, jumped from the brush, followed by another one.

They hustled towards the downed dragon. Samus, in blind courage, charged at them viciously to protect her adopted brother and friend. One of the aliens noticed her coming, and raised a pistol.

Mother was cranking the car when she heard Samus yelling at Ridley. She ran back to find two aliens near Ridley on the ground, and Samus, just starting her charge. Her instincts kicked in, she rushed at top speed behind her daughter. The alien held its weapon steady at its directed target.

"Samus!" Mother shouted so loud, that it made her voice crack.

Samus stopped but she didn't turn around, she starred blankly at the weapon that was aimed at her.

"No!" Mother frantically raced to her daughter, and her scream caused Samus to turn around.

What Samus' eyes were met with next was her dearest mother, diving into her, throwing her on the ground, and being met with a red plasma blast on her back below the neck. Samus layed motionless beneath her dead mother, the impact of her head striking the ground had sent her into a coma.

The rabbilis had long disappeared after the first shot fired upon the defense complex.

Ridley's head was facing the direction of Samus when he fell, and became witness to the horrid incident. Ridley filled with rage and tried to move with all his might, but to no prevail. The alien hostiles strung Ridley up in a flexible, metallic chord and dragged him to the cliff. A Ship, carrier size, soon appeared from laying in wait below the cliff, and they hoisted Ridley onto the ship and took off.

The alien attack made continuous rumble of everything above the planet's surface for over an hour, not even sparing the surrounding forests, before ascending from the planet the same way they came.

A perfect sunny day to start, now the air was filled with black smoke and dust, and Samus stayed motionless beneath her mother, inhaling the toxic fumes.


	3. Chapter 3: Samus Aran Chozo

Metroid: A Tale of Paradox

Disclaimer: content and affiliations of Nintendo franchise.

Author's note: Alas, its chapter three before us. A shorter chapter than the rest, I decide to skip a large portion of unneeded information. The simple lives of the main characters shattered to dust by the end of the second chapter, may their fates turn for the better? With a rough alteration, we are now more officially in the metroid's time line, aside from Ridley being under age and not the leader of the space pirates, during the attack. I won't follow every bit of the time line, that's a lot to throw at you which I don't intend to follow anyway, and we will not be following Samus and Ridley at the same time, for now. Samus is smarter here than in the manga, and I'm skipping a large portion of Samus' raising with the Chozo. Read the manga if you want to know, if you haven't already. This chapter will tell the continuing story of Samus, and obviously etc., for the next. I wish you enjoy and (critically) review!

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Chapter 3: Samus Aran Chozo

_"Hurry Samus, you're going to be late!" Adam passed the door as Samus was trailing up the steps behind him._

_Once on the other side of the door, Samus found herself standing in her school hallway._

_There wasn't a living soul to be seen, even Adam was not present._

_"I must be late." Samus went down the hall to her classroom door. It was locked, and the chatter of students could be heard from within._

_Samus began tugging on the door, no luck. She became frustrated, how could they lock her out? Samus, filled with confusion and temper, charged the door, ramming her side into it._

_The door flung open with ease and Samus clumsily fell into the room, but she didn't hit the ground as was expected. Samus was falling down a white shaft, with no visible end to it._

_Suddenly, Samus could hear voices around her, most were familiar to her. fellow students, the teachers, neighbors and friends. They sounded as if to be communicating in a muddied, undefinable dialect._

_Then Samus heard her mother's voice call out her name, which sounded distorted from afar. Samus panicked even more, from the fall, and now because she wanted her mother._

_The white shaft merged into black, with only a slight minuscule red glow._

_There before her eyes, was Ridley, descending at the same speed as her. Samus cried out to Ridley to save her, but he made no reaction towards her. Ridley's image appeared as if out side the shaft, or within the very wall itself, like a mirror's reflection._

_Samus tried frantically to get his attention. He turned his face to her._

_Ridley's majestic blue eyes melted away, and were replaced with a dark, dingy yellow. He grew to about thirteen feet, with adult fangs and claws._

_Samus was in even more panic as she watched her beloved brother turn into a fearsome demon._

_Samus strained her eyes shut and wished for everything to stop. The shaft shattered like glass at her whimpering plea, and Samus fell head-first into a clear, blue-less sea._

_Samus began to drown, contrary to her excellent swimming skills. She sank in the nothingness that surrounded her. Before Samus gave out her breath, she heard a voice that she had heard before._

"Quickly, release the containment seal!"

The Chozo lowered the lever at the controls. chemical liquid surged out of the sustainment capsule, along with a stark-naked child.

Samus coughed water from her lungs, rising from a slick floor. She was panicked, both from the nightmare she had just awakened from, and from the now present trauma.

"Here my dear, take this." A Chozo held out a fluffy robe.

Samus took it without even looking at the one who offered it, but after she had wrapped the robe around her, she then realized something, she wasn't at home.

Samus looked up to see the Chozo looming before her.

The Chozo smiled warmly looking down at Samus. "Hello Samus."

Samus' eyes widened. "Bird Grandpa! You're here!"

Samus Hugged Old Bird joyfully, she was disoriented but pleased in her accomplished reunion.

The other Chozo left the control panel and came to them. It was Gray Voice.

"I can't understand why the compressor failed, but she is well now."

Samus looked at the two Chozo in a pleasant daze, but then it hit her blunt in the face, Rock's Edge, swimming, Pyonchi, Ridley,... **Mother!**

She crippled to the floor again**, **weeping profusely.

"It is good we were not too far to receive the distress signal. We remorse for your people."

Gray's words made no affect towards Samus' crying.

Old Bird knelt down, he embraced Samus so gently, it reminded her of cradling the kitten she had found.

Samus' weeping grew less and less until it ceased altogether. She looked up, Old Bird still enfolded around her with the care on his face that only a parent felt for their young.

Now that Samus was calm, she felt something on her, in her. It didn't feel bad, just... abnormal.

"I don't feel right," Samus stated plainly.

Old Bird stood up with Samus and propped himself on his cane. "Samus, when we found you, you were unconscious and poisoned with toxic fumes. Your blood was contaminated and, in order to preserve you, we infused part of our blood and DNA into yours. Our blood is compatible with human species amazingly, and our DNA will make you stronger, able to adapt to our planet. It took about two weeks."

Samus didn't really care what Old Bird said, she just hoped that she wouldn't turn into a flightless bird. At least one that could can fly.

"I and Gray have discussed, and he has agreed with me to raise you here on Zebes."

A robotic orb, a little larger than an adult human's head, appeared hovering a few feet above Samus.

"The human is now adequate to survive in Criteria and Brinstar regions. The final scan reported complete on DNA transfusion."

Old Bird acknowledged the report with a nod.

"Excellent. Thank you Mother Brain," replied Gray Voice firmly.

Mother Brain hovered in front of Samus, "Greetings Aran, Samus." Mother Brain's electronic voice had a female accent, Samus felt comfortable thinking of it as a motherly tone.

Samus looked into the single lens of the mechanical orb, examining the blue glow from within.

"Samus, Mother Brain keeps track of data and reports on Zebes, our aurora unit."

Suddently, Samus gave a big laugh, causing the floating orb to move back, surprised by Samus' unpredictable reaction.

"Pardon miss, what do you find humorous?" Mother Brain asked.

"You sound like my mother's GPS on her car."

Mother Brain's human-less characteristics prevented it from feeling insulted by an aurora being compared to a GPS system.

"I'm afraid I don't understand the humor in this." Mother Brain flashed its blue glow brighter as it spoke.

Before Samus could go into detail as to help the emotionless AI understand, Old Bird clanked his staff on the floor, catching Samus' attention.

"Samus, we have something for you. We found it lying beside you when you were found."

Old Bird walked across the room to a self-opening door, and entered in. He returned with a white, furry object in his hands.

Samus' eyes widened with excitement. "Pyonchi! You found Pyonchi!"

Samus didn't wait for the Chozo to extend the creature to her, she merely snatched it from his possession before he had ceased moving.

Now Samus had a piece of home with her, she could more easily pass the pain of her lost loved ones with her furry friend and Bird Grandpa.

Samus was raised as well as any Chozo child would be, receiving the knowledge of the Chozo and the universe taught from their perspective. She was also trained in extreme land combat. Old Bird told Samus she was doing this to fulfill what the Chozo couldn't afford to anymore, be the protector of the galaxy.

Samus had lost her mother and her dragon-born brother, that was all the fuel she needed to accept her responsibility placed upon her.


	4. Chapter 4: Ashes and Power Equal Madness

**Metroid: A Tale of Paradox**

Disclaimer: contents and affiliations of Nintendo franchise.

Author's note: Continuing the tale, oh look, it's chapter four! Samus is going to shape into a great Chozo warrior aye? Now its Ridley's time under the magnifying glass, let's hope he doesn't get burnt. Wait a minute; dragons don't get burnt, duh! A second grader dragon spawn and a league of marauding space pirates, what will be the outcome? Reading and reviewing is in order!

* * *

**Chapter 4: Ashes and Power Equal Madness**

Never before had Ridley felt so helpless and unable to help others. He was paralyzed by the needle-injected dart, his eyes left to stare at Samus and Mother laying there. tears streamed from his powerless head, not able to shout or rip the space pirates in half, which he may could have done with his size and vengeance.

They hauled him in the small vessel to the battle cruiser over the city rumble and dropped him in a small concealed room aboard the ship. The remaining pirate ships vacated the planet, one was lost to an unknown explosion, supposedly due to a miss handling of the afloraltite aboard ship.

The pirate fleet warped to their base home world after their less than successful raid. The planet's atmosphere glowed red with an aura of colorful mist that seemed to fluctuate around the planet, caused by the acidic atmosphere. The surface was met with constant acid rain fall, only creatures with proper armor could stand exposed on the surface. The Pirate Homeworld was an unknown satellite system to the Galactic Federation, a remote and impenetrable stronghold.

The vessels docked in a massive cave mingled with rock and metal resistant to the acid. The majority of the pirates left the ships, entering the life supported base deep beneath the surface's crust.

The two space pirates hoisted the cage containing Ridley, who was still motionless from the poisoned dart, and hauled him out of the ship on a hovering personnel carrier. A large elevator filled with other space pirates descended down to the impenetrable stronghold below.

Ridley was conscious entirely, able to see vividly all that took place before his eyes, which ever way he faced. Ridley was feeling threatened for the first time, seeing how many pirates there truly were. Ridley's anger hadn't cooled though, his face didn't show it, but he was ready to destroy every living thing he saw.

The elevator brought them to a large brown-tint hall with metal columns, and eight or so doors leading to separate facilities within the base. The pirates escorting Ridley went to the door across the room from them and traveled down a long hallway, up another, much smaller, elevator, passed a series of security gates, and entered a room that peaked out of the planet's surface, on the side of a cliff.

The room was oval shaped with control panels and windows on one, exposing the room from the rocky wall. It was the command center. In the center of the room was a large chair with screens and panels surrounding it, and an image resting in it.

"Commander! reporting in!" One of the pirates escorting Ridley squawked.

The image didn't even look to acknowledge him. "Please, tell me you have any news other than loosing one of my favored vessels!"

The pirate wheezed in fear from the commander's deep, authoritative voice.

"We have a prize to present to you sir!" The other pirate exclaimed for his speechless comrade.

The figure rouse from the chair, it was a slim, tall space pirate in jet-black clad armor, his left crab-like claw was exceedingly larger than his right.

When the commander saw the dragon in the cage, his jaw dropped.

"A... Dragon! Do you know what this means?" Hissed the commander with excitement.

The two pirates starred blankly at their commander, clueless of his interest in their find.

"Our previous commanders before me were dragons, supposedly the last of their race. But this is truly a find!"

The commander stood in front of the carrier device with the caged dragon, analyzing him. He starred into the dragon's blue eyes, motionless as they were.

"He's a young one at that! Very interesting."

The commander turned around, and made way for his chair.

"Sir, what shall we do with it?" a pirate hissed.

The commander turned his head slightly, keeping them within his peripheral vision. "Take him to containment three in sector seven."

The space pirates saluted, then escorted the device with the dragon out of the command center, relieved to get away from their intimidating commander.

Ridley was taken all the way back to the hall with the many passage ways and the elevator. They passed through the entryway with sector seven labeled on the wall above. Down a much shorter hallway than the previous, they came to a dead-end with five doors, two on either side and one at the hall's end.

They hoisted Ridley's cage off the carrier and hassled their way through the center door. Ridley was dumped out of the cage onto the cold metal floor.

"Have fun little dragon, this is the play room for you!"The two pirates than left the room and sealed the door shut, leaving the still paralyzed Ridley inside.

Ridley was left there to think of his situation. First of all he could think about was Samus and mother and his vengeance for them, but he remembered something the space pirate commander had said. Are dragons really that rare? Ridley had never seen or heard of another dragon where he lived, could he be the last one? And dragons being pirate commanders? What could interest a dragon to be a space pirate leader? More and more thoughts filled Ridley's mind as he laid there on the cold floor, there wasn't much he could do.

After about two hours laying on the floor, Ridley could move his limbs somewhat, though his nerves were still numb. He rolled his head around, looking at his surroundings. From what he could tell lying there, he was in a small, rectangular room with a single bed against the wall. The door had a window slit, the only exposure to the world outside of the room, aside from the air vent.

Before Ridley was fully capable of walking, someone opened the door. It was the commander, assisted by a pirate in red clad armor. Ridley was in a failed attempt to stand upright when they entered.

"Trying to get around I see!" The commander barked with laughter.

Ridley tried to leap at the commander, but landing on his face before him.

The commander simply laughed harder. "Look at this, he wants to play with us! Why don't we take him to the fun room."

The pirate in red armor drawled a weapon from his side, firing it at Ridley as he was trying to get back up. The device released a wave of energy that formed a ring around Ridley's waist and arms on contact. Ridley's face slapped the metal floor yet again.

Two more pirates appeared behind the commander, operating another carrier device. They placed Ridley on it and escorted him out of the hallway.

They took him to sector five, where they came into a large dome. It appeared as an arena, with balconies behind armored windows for those to view the action in the center of the room.

"Now little dragon, we're going to bring some play mates for you. Play as rough as you'd like," said the commander.

Ridley made no effort to reply to him. He was left in the center of the room with the energy ring still restraining his movement, the space pirates left the room.

Ridley looked around, the numbness had nearly left him, and he could walk again.

"Alright dragon, its fun time!" The commander's voice echoed over an intercom from one of the balconies.

Ridley looked up to see the space pirates watching him from the other side of the window. The red armored pirate pressed the controls on his device, releasing the constraint around Ridley's waist.

Ridley heard a door opening behind him, he turned to see three yellow eyes starring at him. A wild beast from the planet Zebes, tormented by the pirates into an endless hatred. It appeared as a form of sapien, with powerful forearms and horns as a bull curled forwards.

It charged at Ridley, foaming at the mouth and squealing madly. The adrenalin woke the rest of Ridley's body, allowing him to leap into the air, dodging the creature's charge. Ridley felt something pulsing through his mind, this reminded him of playing with Samus and Adam. Only it was the real thing now, but all that playing had actually trained him well.

Ridley hovered out of the creature's reach as it leaped at him. The beast stopped for a moment, looking around, it found a pile of barrels at a corner of the arena. It quickly ran to the barrels, and began tossing them over its head at Ridley.

Ridley gracefully spun in the air, dodging the ballistic objects thrown.

The beast began roaring angrily, it tossed two barrels at once with its massive forearms. Ridley dodged one only to be struck in the head by the other, sending him to the ground, flat on his belly.

The beast Rushed to Ridley and grabbed his throat with his large ape-like hands, strangling him. The creature was holding Ridley's neck close to itself, allowing Ridley to bite its shoulder.

The creature let go, screaming in agony. Ridley didn't realize how powerful his bite really was. The beast quickly shook off its pain and made another attack at Ridley, gripping both its arms tightly around Ridley's body in an attempt to crush him.

Ridley could feel his ribs bowing under the enormous strength. He used the only remaining limb he could use, his tail. The beast hollered in pain as Ridley lung his jagged-edged tail into the creature's back, but it didn't give way to Ridley, it merely squeezed harder. Ridley took all his remaining effort and drilled his tail into the creature's throat.

The beast released Ridley and staggered backwards on its rear legs, purple blood pumping out its neck. Ridley thought he had won, but he was corrected when the creature lost all control and charged at Ridley on all four limbs with its head cocked to stab him with its horns. Ridley, out of instinct, lunged at the creature, whipped around in the air and thrusted his tail straight into the creature's skull.

The creature collapsed dead, and Ridley stood before it, catching his breath.

"Well done! It seems you have some spirit after all!" The commander boomed over the microphone.

Ridley just stood there, looking at the slain creature, then he looked at his tail, which had the creature's blood dripping from it.

Ridley stood there motionless as he fell into deep thought. The pulsing in his mind was spreading through him. The feeling took over his entire body, but Ridley realized something, it felt good. He felt empowered, and a sense of pride over his defeated, but why? What would Samus think if she saw this? Samus hated the idea of killing, but to know that he felt good about it? Ridley couldn't think straight, he didn't know what to think at all. This was all too much to happen within a day's time.

"Alright fellow, we'll give you a break, but when I come back, we're going to see what we can really get from you!" The commander left the room followed by the others.

"What they can get out of me?" Ridley said to himself. "Am I an experiment to them? What can they possibly get out of me this way?"

"They must want to use me... as a weapon! Well, I'll play there little game, and show them what I can do, to them!" Ridley's subconscious attempted to keep himself from getting worked up, but it was pointless. He had experienced too much. The next thing he realized was smoke fleeting from his nostrils.

"Wait a minute, smoke? Does that mean-" Ridley cut himself short. He opened his mouth and unintentionally released a burst of plasma, in the form of a flame. Ridley's oxidization glans had started maturing.

Ridley never knew he was cable of such power, the ability to discharge plasma was the tip of the ice berg. Ridley toyed with his new-found ability for a good while, laughing as a child at their birthday.

The next day the commander appeared on the balcony behind the armored glass. Ridley caught eye of the commander and flew up to the glass, hovering at eye level with the pirate leader.

"Well dragon, you've brightened my time here on this dreary planet. How's about another game today?"

Ridley smirked wildly, which surprised the pirate commander. "My name is Ridley, and I'm ready," he announced with anger in his tone.

The commander merely smiled back, while pressing the controls beside him.

Two doors opened at opposite ends of the arena, and Ridley flew down to the center of the room, awaiting for what ever came through. Ridley was caught off-guard when a ball of energy whizzed passed his ear. He turned to see a space pirate in a regular's gray uniform stand at the door's entrance. Ridley quickly turned to the other door to see the same, two space pirates to combat him.

"They're space pirates? Why would they send their own against me? Finally, something to take my anger out may have guns, but I've got a weapon they haven't seen yet," Ridley thought to himself.

The space pirates began firing rapidly, showing their mediocre combat skills. Ridley took off into the air and soared toward one of the pirates, he acted out just as he recalled doing when he played with Samus and Adam the last time. Only this time, he aimed to do more than bruise his opponent.

The space pirate panicked as a six and a half foot dragon dived down upon him. The space pirate fired madly at Ridley, but Ridley was going to fast to get more than a lucky glance off him.

The space pirate inhaled his last frantic breath as Ridley smashed him into the ground, crushing his skull from the weight of impact.

The other space pirate had run to the center of the arena, continuously firing his weapon at Ridley. Ridley began to run at the pirate, dodging the energy beams as they passed. The pirate made a lucky shot, striking Ridley on the shoulder, but unlike when Ridley played with his friends, he didn't fall to the ground from pretend pain. His dragon skin, as young as he was, was already strong enough to resist simple energy blasts.

Ridley stopped feet from the pirate, who was panicked by his weapon's apparent useless affect on the dragon. The pirate stood in fear, awaiting the dragon's attack. Ridley simply smirked, causing the pirate confusion, before releasing a blast of plasma at the pirate's head, almost completely incinerating it.

Ridley roared in his triumph over his enemies. It was all too easy to release all his rage on them, since they were pirates.

"You've bested two regulars, not to difficult for a dragon such as you, Ridley."

Ridley flew back to face the pirate commander. "Why did you waist your own on me? Careless of yourselves as much as the rest in the galaxy?" Ridley shouted.

"Its worth it to see what you are capable of."

"To be a weapon for you? You may as well give up, Cause that will never happen!"

The commander laughed loudly over the microphone. "A weapon for us? No. **We** would be the weapons for you."

Ridley stood there with his head cocked in confusion.

"The space pirates have always had a dragon as a leader, till the time that I had to take over for what was believed the last dragon in existence. You would not be a weapon but our commanding officer. How does that suit you?"

Ridley showed no emotion when the commander had said that. The space pirate leader? They would actually want him for that? Should he even consider siding with those that killed the ones he loved? It was the role he always played with Samus and Adam, but that was always pretend.

"Bad guys always have more fun," Ridley said to himself, "but what would Samus think of me if she was here, still alive."

Ridley stayed in thought so long that the commander grew impatient. "I haven't got all day, I'd like to know what you-"

"If you want to train me to be your commander, than I accept anything that you have to throw at me."

The commander smiled, he was winning the prize.

"On one condition of course," Ridley added.

" And what is that?"

Ridley smiled. "Don't waste any more of my men."

The commander laughed yet again. "I'll see to it. I'm commander Feiro. Get ready for your next match in a few hours." And with that, the commander left the room, pleased more than he had been in a long while.

Ridley gave in, he now thirsted for the kill. With his friends and family gone, what else was there to do, he became obsessed with the idea as commander and chief of the infamous space pirates.

Ridley was faced with at least three challenges a day, usually more. sometimes he had to face wild, never before seen beasts from distant worlds, and others would be mechanical foes and challenging courses. Ridley was eventually entrusted to roam the base's halls alone. He was no longer a threat, he head become one of them, only stronger and smarter than they.

* * *

A year after Ridley was brought here, the pirate commander decided it was time to send him on a mission with a group of pirates.

A pirate knocked on the door of Ridley's cell, Ridley rouse to greet him.

"The commander requests you to see him at the command center at once," the pirate belayed.

"Received," was Ridley's only reply before exiting his cell into the hallway.

When Ridley arrived the commander was standing beside his chair, waiting for him.

"Ridley, I have an assignment for you," the commander started out, "I've decided the best method to further your training as a pirate commander is to send you into the open field."

"Meaning," replied Ridley.

"Meaning that I'm sending you on a mission with a squad of other pirates."

Ridley was pleased to hear this. Not only was he going to have some real action but he was going to see something other than the base's caves and the drizzling acid outside.

"What is the mission."

"We have a ship inbound near our planet. We think it may be the galactic federation snooping around, trying to find us. I need that vessel demobilized and the crew slaughtered. I want to keep the ship for our own purposes."

"Consider it done. When do we leave?"

"As soon as you arrive at the docks. the other squad members will be waiting for you there. Good luck!"

With that, Ridley exited the command center and hastily made way to the docking bay. Ridley saw a mid-sized, pirate-crafted battle cruiser at dock-13, along with twelve figures standing adjacent to the ship on the pear. five regular troops, two special weapon's troops, two pilots, two engineers and a pirate commando.

"There he is, our special warrior!" said one of the special weapon's troops.

"No kidding! The last dragon in the known universe, and he's with us!" a regular raged.

"Ridley here is future commander material, he's getting his first wind on this assignment," the commando stated.

"Reporting for mission sir," Ridley announced facing the commando.

"Wait a minute, isn't he a little small, for a dragon I mean? Our previous leader had to be nearly fifteen feet!" said the special weapon's trooper.

"Ridley has recently turned ten years, but Ridley has under-gone much training and has become an effect soldier," the commando clarified.

Ridley looked at the special weapon's troop, whipping his wings out and hovering his tail at his side as to show his menacing capability to the trooper.

The trooper actually shuttered slightly at the wind gushing affect by Ridley's wings, then he scratched his head, trying to cover his embarrassing reaction. "Hey, a nearly eight feet tall dragon is good enough for me, no matter his age I guess."

Ridley smiled, then turned back to the commando who was now standing at the ramp to board the ship.

"Alright, enough chit-chat. Let's move!"

"Aye, sir!" responded all the pirates in unison, then boarded the ship.

Once the engineers initiated the ship's systems and the pilots calibrated the controls, the vessel reversed out the cave harbor and jetted out the planet's acidic atmosphere.

The pirates not manning the ship awaited in the ships haul, awaiting communication from the pilots. most of the pirates sat or laid across the floor, some leaned against the walls. Ridley stood beside the commando, watching him operate a set of radar controls and analyzing what appeared on the holographic screen in front of them.

The commando noticed Ridley watching him and spun around his chair to face him. "Ridley, here is the crew's radar operating system. The pilots have one too, but I find it affective to be alerted at the same time as the pilots, rather than waiting for their report."

Ridley nodded in acknowledgment.

"They informed me of their interest in your officer training, and I'm placing you second under me on this mission, given that they've not said anything of your rank."

"I'm not certain I have a rank."

The commando chuckled. "Well, they probably have something special in mind for you then. I'll make sure you get some experience on this little ride. I'll brief the men shortly, once we've neared-."

Something caught Ridley's eye on the radar as the commando was speaking and he interrupted the commando to identify it. "I see something on the radar, sir."

The commando examined the speck of light that appeared on the radar, then a pilot's voice sounded through out the ship.

"Target is sighted, approximating two minutes before firing neutralizing weapons."

The commando smiled. "Well Ridley, let's get ready."

Ridley walked over to the troopers laying on the grown.

"Alright troops, form up, its time for briefing!"

The pirates were already scrambling at the pilot's message, forming rank along side Ridley.

"Alright, I am commando Run'din. This is a boarding mission in case you haven't heard. The ship's weapons will be disabled before boarding. Upon boarding we will then proceed to neutralize the crew and secure the ship for returning to home base with our second pilot. I'm also on orders to search and capture the highest ranking commander on board for questioning, so check for colorful suits before firing. Federation officers like to look fancy, makes easy pickings for us. Mission understood?"

"Aye sir!"

The commander singled-out Ridley in front of the others. "Now, I've placed Ridley as my first mate, so his orders count! I'll take one special weapon's trooper and three regulars." The commander pointed to his selection and directed them to line up beside him. "Ridley, you have the other three. Your directive is to secure the ship all the way to the bridge from the entry point, I will cover the rear down to the engine and storage rooms, giving Ridley some good experience."

The ship released a small rattle as the cannons fired two rounds at the opposing vessel.

"Neutralizing rounds fired, target's weapons and engine systems are disabled. Prepared for boarding procedure," a pilot relayed over the intercom.

"That's it boys. Follow me!"

The commander lead the bunch into the hall along the hull's edge, and stopped at a large sealed door on the hull's outer shell.

"This is our way on board the ship. Once we're close enough, this hall will extend to the ship's hull and lock on to the other ship's docking door. Once that process is complete we will board the target and commence operations."

The pirate cruiser came along side the targeted vessel, and latched mechanical holds to it. The hall with the sealed door extended, sealing to the ship's docking entrance.

"Begin operation!" The commando and his team strode down the hall, followed by Ridley's. The commando opened the sealed door, revealing the other ship's outer door. The commando planted a small device on the door's control panel, and within seconds of pushing keys, the door's seal was released.

The commando turned to the others behind with his hand on the door. "Alright. Three. Two. One!"

The door lunged open and the pirates passed into the ship's hull. They were met with a barrage of laser blast from opposite ends of the hallway they had entered. The space pirates immediately took formation as they advanced and returned fire simultaneously. Ridley took head of his group on their side of the hallway, acting as a shield. Laser blasts dissipated off Ridley as he and his group steadily advanced. The opposing crew were quickly eliminated, and the two groups continued down the hallway in opposite directions.

Ridley's group hustled through the hallway as it merged left and entered a large room. To the right end of the room from them was the bridge, and Ridley marched with his wings span out to shield his squad from any unforeseen fire. Sure enough, six federation soldiers charged out the door to the bridge, taking positions behind columns and control panels near the door's entrance.

Ridley continued to shield his crew with his intimidating dragon scales. Three enemy troops were left, one, in a bright blue coat with gold trimming, raised a missile launcher from behind a control panel. A small homing missile came whirling towards Ridley, which he did not expect. Ridley took his short reaction time available to swing his tail in front of him. The missile spun to the right of him a little before exploding on the ship's floor, leaving a black scorch mark.

Ridley was frightened for a moment, but then he chuckled inside, he was thrilled in his immortality towards the federation's inferior weaponry.

Ridley leaped to the control panel, landing his talents on top of it. The apparent federation officer shriveled against the wall from the menacing dragon, refusing to fire his effect-less weapon at Ridley again. Ridley wrenched the weapon from the officer, producing a metallic screeching sound as he crushed it within his talent.

Ridley smirked at the officer as he climbed over the panel. "Good day officer, I have orders to take you captive."

"You'll not have me you creature from hell!" The officer drawled a small energy blade from his side and frantically tried to strike Ridley with it.

Ridley merely grabbed the man's wrist, twisting it till he released the weapon. He then swung his tail, knocking the man to the floor, unconscious.

The other pirates had already eliminated the remaining forces and took control of the bridge.

Ridley's special weapon's trooper received communications from the commando via wrist-com, "Second squad, report on conditions."

"Reporting. Mission accomplished sir, we have the bridge and an officer under control, sir."

"Any casualties?"

"No sir, all clean!"

"Excellent! Now, report back to the entry point."

"Affirmed!"

Ridley and his group found the commando waiting for them, one of his regulars was absent.

"Congratulations Ridley, you've made perfect performance! One of my men received a passing blow in the arm, but he'll live through just fine."

"Thank you sir. Here is your prisoner." Ridley presented the officer with bound hands, ranting within his gagged mouth.

"Perfect. Let's get the crew to steer these ships to base. Return to ship!"

The pirate cruiser returned to the docks, accompanied by the newly acquired vessel.

The commando and Ridley returned to the command center, escorting the federation prisoner. The pirate commander came to them when they entered.

"I've received the report, excellent work Commando Run'din and to you especially Ridley. This is fine work for your first encounter.

"Here is the officer, sir. Not more than a knot on his head," said the commando.

"Indeed! I hear Ridley caused a scuff mark on my new ship, Some incident with a missile?"

"Commander, I'm sure it wasn't-"

"I was merely playing commando Run'din, be assured that I am very pleased with you and Ridley."

"Thank you, sir."

"Commando Run'din, would you take the prisoner to a cell in sector seven, I wish to speak with Ridley alone."

"Of course, sir." Commando Run'din took the prisoner and left the room.

The commander walked to his chair and rested in it. "Ridley, come here."

Ridley soundlessly approached the commander's chair.

"I received information from one in your group from the mission, he was previously assigned to report everything of your performance to me. You completely disregarded your life before your men, acting as a shield, which seemed to have worked. No casualties. Even commando Run'din, one of my finest, came through with an injured trooper. You took your advantages very well, you even fended off a missile targeted directly for you and captured their exceeding officer."

The commander stood up from his chair and faced Ridley. "Ridley, I'm amazed at your ability to fight and lead, at such a young age."

The commander rested his hand in Ridley's shoulder and smiled. "Ridley, You'll become a great commander, your new quarters are in sector one."

The commander returned to his chair. Ridley took this as a signal to leave, and turned around to do so.

Oh, one more thing, I'm giving you the rank of supreme commando."


	5. Chapter 5: Old Birds and Old Friends

**Metroid: A Tale of Paradox**

Disclaimer: Content and affiliations of Nintendo franchise.

Author's note: Well, I've enjoyed writing this enough to continue disregarding that only one person has bothered in giving one single review on the missleading first chapter.

Chapter five, it's what's for dinner! This time we will be discovering the future for Samus with the Chozo, or without them. I'm straying away from the original time line slowly. Samus is destined as the new savior of the galaxy, I'm sure she'll do great, but I wonder how she will handle a few things. O'well, I guess I'll just have to continue the story for you to know, and myself to know. I'm continuing my no-quitting-under-any-reason-other-then-my-death-for-the-reader's-sake-and-my-integrity's policy. May my exemplary moral be fostered by your sentimentally scrutinizing recapitulations in surveying retrospect of my idiosyncratically compiled allegory of aforementioned proceedings. AKA, read & review.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Old Birds and Old Friends**

"Samus!" Old Bird shouted from the base of the hill.

"Bird Grandpa!" The sixteen year-old Samus jumped and skid down the steppe hill to Old Bird.

"What might you be doing up there? Is a new species of dangerous flowers over there again?" Old Bird asked sarcastically.

"Oh, no. I was just thinking."

Old Bird started up the hill. "Come sit on the hill with me, there's soft grass up there."

Samus sat in the shade of a tree with Old Bird. She knew he had something important to tell her, he always did when he sat their, quietly smiling plainly. samus figured he was either hiding the tension behind his smile or thinking of how to tell her in the best words. The one thing he couldn't be was relaxed and at peace as he appeared, no one could be that calm, could they? Though, it was Old Bird after all.

"Samus," Old Bird began," You've become a great warrior, its been proven many times."

Old Bird shuffled around, looking uncomfortable where he was.

"Samus, the Chozo are a rare and dying race, we are no longer at the power to be defenders of the galaxy."

Samus nodded. "And I am to be such for you. I know, you've told me before."

"Samus, the Chozo are leaving entirely, ascending from this plane of the universe. Soon all of us will be gone, even I and Gray Voice must eventually go as well."

"I know, but what will become of you, and Zebes?"

"We will be a higher level of life, where we may be at one with the higher beings, becoming as the spirits ourselves. Zebes will be under the care of Mother Brain."

Samus gripped Old Bird and hugged him firmly, tears dripping.

Old Bird's eyes began to water as well. "I know these will be hard times for you, but stay strong. You will bring peace to the galaxy and to all those within it, I only pray that you may find peace in it yourself."

The two held each other close for a moment before releasing, wiping the tears from their eyes.

"So Samus, what was it you were thinking about?"

"I was thinking of Ridleyagain. He must be out there, alive somewhere."

"The space pirates may have done anything with him. If he is alive, they may have done terrible things to him."

I will find him. Ridley is my brother and I will free him from them!"

"I hope you do, but do not be fooled, they may well be using him, for their misdeeds."

"I won't believe it. even so, he would be relieved to see me."

"You have unfailing love and courage Samus, you will do well."

"Thank you Bird Grandpa, you have been a father to me. I will miss you, but I will see you again."

"We shall all be together one day. You, I, Ridley, and your mother."

Old Bird stood up and began walking down the hill. "Don't be late for dinner, I've made my special, bird stool salad with bonzo coco beans!"

Samus gagged herself silently. "I'll be there in a bit."

Samusrolled on her back, the tree limbs above waved gently in the breeze. She wondered of her future, what danger or excitement laid wait. The universe would need a hero, Samus was prepared to risk all she had to be that hero, she had confidence in herself. She questioned if she could truly find peace herself though, without her family and the Chozo, there was no one else. She would be alone, at least she assumed that would be the out come. She kept one thing in the back of her mind, something that she would accomplish some day no matter how long it took or how impossible it may well turn out. She would find her brother Ridley. When Ridleywas restored, then she could live and die happy. _The dream meant nothing_.

Samus ate the eschew meal and slept after, rising early with the Chozo as custom.

Samus entered the dew sprinkled courtyard, orange from the morning sun. Old Bird was already up, unusual, and talking with Gray Voice. Before Samus could ease up to over-hear them talking they caught eye of her.

"Samus, you can come over here," Old Bird beckoned.

"You were discussing a private matter Grandpa?"

"Actually, you are in this matter as much as us!"

"Indeed. It involves you too," said Gray Voice.

"Well, please fill me in!"

"First of all, we congratulate you on your successful mission on Jigrad, you've proven your worth on that!" Old Bird stated. "The news is simply that I'm going away on urgent business, being that I and Gray Voice are the few of the Chozo that remain here, we need you to help Gray watch over Zebes. What ever Mother Brain can't handle."

"I can do that for you, what is the important business?"

"It is to be kept secret, I am not wholly understood of the matter myself, if that makes you feel any better."

"It doesn't."

"I know you will be fine without this old bird, I just worry about you is all."

"We'll be fine, I'd be more worried about you bird grandpa. You keep safe, okay?"

"Certainly. Gray, I'll inform you as soon as I arrive."

"Good. We'll be waiting for you," Gray Voice responded.

"Hurry back!"

"I will, but you have to give those in their age some time. I'll be back before you know it!"

The three said their good byes and walked separate ways.

The next three days were regular and dull for Samus, minus a witty Chozo to talk to made it all the more unbearable. She noticed strange behavior in Gray Voice and Mother Brain during Old Bird's absence, though she didn't see them all too often to know all their quirks and behaviors. She did grow suspicious though, which lead her to be snooping in Tourian that afternoon. What she found, while hiding behind a steel column, was Gray Voice talking to Mother Brain. Samus listened in to over-hear what they were discussing.

"Yes, that will work. I just hope your pirates honor their word," said Gray Voice.

"Their leader should be here shortly, we will discuss the matter further then," said Mother Brain, communicating through its hovering orb.

"Old Bird will be difficult, but if he doesn't join, Samus would be even harder. I cannot say the out come for those two, they stick together pretty well."

"Then we will either have to attain both, or eliminate them," replied Mother Brain.

"Hopefully for the better."

Gray Voice turned and walked out of the room, Samus creeping around the column as he passed. Mother Brain started to proceed through the same door, but the hovering orb stopped short of the doorway. Mother Brain sensed Samus by its thermal sensors.

"Hello, who is in here?!" It asked.

Samus was hesitant to walk up to Mother Brain as she always had, being broken from her dull day into a world of conspiracy, but then again, why should she fear a floating ball? Samus stepped from behind the column.

"It's me, Samus."

"Oh, Samus. Have you been there long?" Mother Brain said in a monotone mechanical voice, with a hint of surprise and worry.

"I've heard plenty."

"My sensors indicate you're tensed, perhaps you should follow me, we will go find Gray Voice."

"I heard about the pirates and about me and Old Bird. I'm not interested!"

"Samus, surely you should think rashionally about this, we would make you and elder Old Bird pirate lords."

"Pirate lords? What, are you their master now?"

"The pirates are serving under me for reasons I've given them."

"I will not be involved in your scheme, Mother Brain, and I can't believe Gray Voice is in on this."

"Gray Voice is a pirate lord himself, certainly if he sees the light of this, Old Bird will as well."

"I Doubt that completely, Old Bird will try to put a stop to this!"

Gray Voice returned to the room after he realized that Mother Brain had not exited yet, what he found was unpleasant to his plans.

"Samus, what are you doing here?"

Samus turned to Gray Voice with confused hatred and sadness. "What is going on Gray? I've heard of a betrayal with the space pirates!"

"Samus, try to understand, Mother Brain is joining us with the space pirates for the good of the universe. We intend to do great things together."

"I know of the space pirates, blood and destruction is all they live for! I must tell Old Bird of this!"

Samus rushed for the door, slipping through Gray's talents as she passed through the door and into a hallway. Mother Brain chased her, the orb's blue glow changed to red and energy beams shot out from it. Samus leaped to avoid the beams and bounced off the wall in a continuing roll.

The next door to exit the hall was directly in front of her, already open. Samus slapped the controls on the side of the door as she passed, resulting in a metal ding sound produced by Mother Brain ramming into the closed door behind her. Samus continued to run, she ran to her room, grabbed all her gear and activated her power suit.

Mother Brain caught Samus heading for her ship and chased her down. Samus was startled by a blast of energy dissipating on the ground beside her, she turned to see the crimson glowing orb assailing her. Samus ran backwards as she tried to aim her hand cannon at the dancing ball. Her third shot managed to knock Mother Brain to the ground, only momentarily.

Samus entered her ship and started up the controls. Mother Brain was raising up again, it began firing upon the ship. Samus was worried, until she noticed that Mother Brain's attack had no effect on her ship. Samus started the engines and shot up from the planet's surface.

Gray Voice arrived at the ship's landing bay just in time to see Samus leaving the atmosphere.

"I failed to stop her, I don't know if she can be a threat to us," said Mother Brain.

"Oh, she surely could be," replied Gray Voice. _Thank goodness she got away. Now at least I won't have to worry about her._

Samus was frantic in her ship, tears were pouring from her eyes, blinding her as she tried to operate the controls. hundreds of thoughts ran through her mind, mostly of confusion. The one thought she could hold on to was of finding Old Bird, then she could be relaxed with his wisdom for the situation. Only, she didn't know where he went. She scanned for the nearest planets, none too close. She decided to either go to Tallon IV with other Chozo, maby they could help her, or to a Galactic Federation controlled planet and inform them that pirates were coming to take over Zebes. Samus decided that the Federation could have the better means of fighting pirates, she had worked with them before, may be her relationship with them would help.

Samus set coarse for a nearby Galactic Federation fleet.

* * *

The Commander of the pirate armada sat in his high throne above all the blinking lights of the control panels and those operating them in the bridge. He viewed Zebes come into existence through the bridge's transparent shield. He could see his small fleet that surrounded his ship; four grand battleships, six frigates and his capitol destroyer, which hid the rest under its looming shadow, nearly tripling in size of the other battleships.

When they neared the planet, the destroyer entered the atmosphere while the other ships sustained orbit. The ship landed in a prepared docking bay with Gray Voice and Mother Brain standing, and hovering, in wait. The ships' landing gear spread from the hull and dust flew from the force of the ship's thrusters.

"Shutdown the ship, we won't be leaving for a while," said the commander to the bridge crew as he left the room. The commander exited his ship out the side ramp, walking onto an extended platform, Gray Voice and Mother Brain came to greet him.

"Greetings Commander Ridley, it is an honor to meet you in person," Gray Voice humbly announced.

"The pleasure is mine, witnessing the pirate's former enemy greet me as an allie is a rare and wonderous thing to behold. It is good we have come together."

"Yes, Mother Brain has much to offer. The idea of bringing peace to this universe, for the Chozo, pirates, and all those who are under the corruption of the Galactic Federation."

"Indeed. And this is the masterful Mother Brain?"

The floating orb drew nearer to the dragon, releasing a short stream of computerized beeps as it approached. "Greetings lord Ridley, I am the designated aurora unit known as Mother Brain. There is much for you to be informed of."

"Yes, may we go inside? You may recieve the tour of the place while we inform you of the present situation and discuss what you may wish before us."

Ridley cocked his head for a moment, scanning the horizon of the planet, searching for signs of other vessels. "I was told there were others who were set as lords, have they yet to come?"

Gray Voice smiled. "No lord Ridley, lets just say that there **_size _**and**_ form_** require specific care of them. They are inside the complexes of the planet now. We will meet them as we traverse through."

Ridley turned his head a one-eighty to his ship and nodded, informing his crew to secure the ship, then turning back towards Gray Voice. "Very well, may we proceed then?"

"Right this way. Mother Brain may began by informing you of the situation we are at presently and what plans she holds for us in the matter."

The new pirate lord followed his hosts through the complexes of the planet, first seeing Criteria and its green luster. It was a refreshing sight to see for the powerful dragon, who for long had the rarity of seeing such beauty in his life with the pirates. It was far more pleasurable than that acidic grounds of the pirate homeworld, which his maturing scales had no problem enduring now. Many friendly creatures filled the scene, crawling on the rocky walls or flying over vibrant flowers. A thought entered his mind as he gazed upon the whole of the scene. Ridley cracked a smile as the thought appeared visually in his mind's eye. The thought of seeing it all ignited in black flames filled Ridley with a lust he now felt all too often.

Ridley found himself nodding subconsciously as the conversation continued, he soaked in most of the what was said, but he couldn't help but examine his surroundings at the time.

"And this is Brinstar, lord Kraid resides here."

Ridley had his hand held out to snatch a two-legged hopping creature, but withdrew as he heard Gray Voice speaking again after the elevator ride. "Kraid is it? May we be introduced?"

"Of course. We will head that way now."

Mother Brain raised itself in front of Ridley at eye level with him, flashing blue as it spoke. "Being the highest threat to the Galactic Federation at present, how controllable are your pirate followers? I've not the experience of learning their intelligence level personally."

Ridley closed his eyes and smiled as they continued walking. "Overall, they are a blood thirsty, warring race, but that does not hinder there intellect to build and work together. You know the pirate technology has rivalled that of the Galactic Federation, even if some of it was inspired by feds. Other than that, I find few and rare those that are of profound understanding whom I can speak with as equal knowledge and character, but they are there."

"Interesting. Yes, we have witnessed the technology of the pirates through various struggles in the past."

Gray Voice had gone ahead of the two and was waiting beside a blue door as they arrived. "Lord Ridley, we are here. beyond this door is Kraid. As a forewarning, you may feel a bit small in stature in comparison to him."

Ridley raised a brow. "Why? Is he Farly advanced?"

"He is quite advanced in technology, but that is aside from what I meant. There are few rooms we could find to fit him. The forty meter tall room on the other side leaves but a few feet of head space for him."

"How can that be? what sentient species can be so tall?"

"Their race is not like him. He is the tallest of any of them, and he is so by his own doing. Kraid is an expert with genetics, so brilliant he mastered the ability to cause his body to grow exponentially, without any apparent consequences, though he seems to have trouble reversing it."

Ridley laughed on the inside, but it showed through his face. "I could think of a few reasons why he'd do that, but seriously, that is amazing!"

Gray Voice opened the door and beckoned them to follow. "Indeed it is."

* * *

"This is the Vixin IV, your request has been confirmed. You are free to dock in sub-bay twelve, over."

Samus took manual control of her ship, directing it into the opened side bay of the Galactic Federation ship. Only three hours had past since the unforeseen event on Zebes, yet Samus had gained control of her emotions and began thinking logically of the situation. Samus was trained well, even though she had been betrayed by the very ones she had come to love as a family, the hopes of resolving it kept her head on straight.

Three crew members came to escort Samus to the bridge when she docked her ship. Through some corridors and up a couple of elevators later, they arrived at the bridge. Amongst all the crew manning the controls and systems within the bridge stood the commander of the Vixin IV, a stout young man, with the stern authoritative look of a true military soldier. The commander turned from his post to face his present guest, examining her in an exotic armor.

"Welcome to the Vixin IV, my flag ship. When you sent your message to us, I could detect the tensity in your voice. What is the situation you have to inform us of my lady?"

Samus caught something familiar about the commander of the ship, he even sounded as if she knew him. "Sir, a conspiracy has taken hold of my home planet Zebes. The chozo are in danger, there are space pirates involved!"

"Really?" The commander rubbed his chin, "Please inform."

"I over-heard our aurora unit speaking with the Chozo Gray Voice of using the pirates in a scheme to bring the galaxy to peace. how can they say such a thing about pirates, I've seen what they do, nothing but blood thirsty monsters! I was found and barely escaped from them."

"Are you certain? I know the space pirates' deeds, but the Chozo couldn't be involved with them, they have been the pirates' enemies fall as long as the Galactic Federation has known them. I'm sorry but I doubt it can be just as you say."

"But you must come! I don't know where else to go and I can't find Old Bird to ask him what I should do! At least go to Zebes and see if what I say is true, you must believe me!"

"Calm down miss, I'm not simply throwing your case out the window, but how do I know I can trust you? This could be a trap, and the space pirates could be using you against us!"

"Samus fell on her knees before the commander with her helmet faced down. "Then I'll have to go back by myself, but I don't know if I can even do anything. If what they said was true, there could be hundreds of pirates there already. I can't give up!"

"You have much spirit, reminds me of someone I once knew long ago, though she died on K2L years back. I'm sorry Lady but I-"

Samus jerked her head up in amazment, she knew who she was talking to. "Adam! Adam Malcovich!?"

The commander slipped back in surprise. "Wha... You are, but that's impossible! Sam?"

Samus marveled, how could she not know that her best friend had survived that attack by the pirates years ago. This was impossible, and at such a convenient time. Samus removed her helmet, revealing her long blond hair and blue eyes.

"Why, Samus! It is you! My word, this is fantastic! I had always hoped you had survived! What a miracle indeed! You've been on Zebes this whole time?"

"Yes, and what are you? Captain of a Federation ship? I always knew you'd be in the federation."

"Not a captain, I am general Adam Malcovich, and this is my flag ship Vixin IV. I'm one step below admiral!"

"But you're only seventeen, how could you get such a rank at a young age?"

"It's a long and segmented story. Let's just say my respect from the Federation began with my actions on K2L, the day of the pirate attack."

"you've always been a soldier Adam. I'm still so amazed that I've found you!"

Samus was then met by Adam's grip around her suit, she gripped him back with more strength then Adam was expecting.

"...you've apparently gotten stronger since last we met."

Samus laughed aloud, Adam felt as joyful with her and laughed along as well. "Oh, why couldn't this day have come sooner. I do miss those days."

"I do too, but the past is behind us. Did anyone else escape that you know of?"

"Not that I know of, except Ridley, but he was carried away with the pirates when they came."

"I'm sorry to hear that, I miss him too."

"Ya, but he may still be out there. I'll find him."

"As big as he is, of course."

Samus could have talked with her new-old friend till she fainted from lack of breath, but she couldn't forget her Chozo family. "Adam, you must do something, I'm certain the pirates are up to no good, please."

Adam returned to his military stance and voice. "Well Samus, I'm sure I can trust you. I will investigate the matter, but you must give me a few days before we go there. I have urgent business to attend to else where, but I promise as soon as that is done we will go to Zebes."

Samus nearly cried from the relief. "Thank you Adam, I mean, general Malcovich."

"Please Samus, I'm still just Adam to you. You may stay on the ship if you will while I run my duties before we leave for Zebes if you'd like. So, any objections lady?"

"Of course not Adam. Just get your stuff done so we can go!"


End file.
